Lanes will close on highway running through Richland, Lexington counties. Here’s why
Sections of a major highway running through Lexington and Richland counties will be affected by a roadwork project scheduled to begin this weekend.
Lanes on Interstate 20, from mile marker 60 to 70, will be closed during the Interstate Pavement Preservation Project, South Carolina Department of Transportation officials said in a news release.
Work is scheduled to begin Sunday, but the $6.5 million project is not expected to be completed until December, according to the release.
The purpose of the project is to keep the pavement surface safe for drivers traveling on I-20, SCDOT said.
During the work, the surface of both eastbound and westbound lanes will be removed by milling and then be resurfaced with hot mix asphalt, according to the release.
No additional lanes or ramps will be constructed, and traffic will be staged utilizing temporary control devices to separate the work zone from drivers on the interstate, SCDOT said.
All lanes on I-20 will stay open during the day to minimize traffic jams and delays to drivers, according to the release. SCDOT said any ramp closures needed for construction will be performed at night, when the volume of traffic is reduced.
The 60 mile marker on I-20 is the end point for a major traffic shift that’s part of a road widening project. Since last November, drivers heading toward Columbia have been shifted in between Exit 51 (Longs Pond Road) to Exit 61 (U.S. 378), and are separated by a concrete barrier.
Looking to avoid any confusion, SCDOT officials said this repaving work in the area called Malfunction Junction is not part of the Carolina Crossroad Project. That five-phase construction project will upgrade travel hub connecting I-20, I-26, and I-126, and is scheduled to be completed in 2029.
Drivers traveling through the work zone are asked to be aware of equipment and crews, and to “Let ‘em Work. Let ‘em Live,” SCDOT said.
This story was originally published July 9, 2020 at 12:29 PM with the headline "Lanes will close on highway running through Richland, Lexington counties. Here’s why."
